1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic apparatus such as an image forming apparatus, a control method for controlling the electronic apparatus, a control program for implementing the control method, and a storage medium for storing the program.
2. Description of the Related Art
Some digital multifunction peripherals are provided with a drive unit for reading and writing data stored in removable media. For example, a digital multifunction peripheral is known that incorporates a drive unit which is compatible with a removable medium such as a floppy (registered trademark) disk (FD) and an optical disk. According to this type of digital multifunction peripheral, it is possible to print image data stored in a removable medium by means of the printing function of the digital multifunction peripheral and store image data formed by the digital multifunction peripheral into a removable medium.
There have also recently been proposed multifunction peripherals with a USB host interface. By using the USB host interface, a user can connect any external drive unit compatible with removable medium or a memory device with a USB host interface to the digital multifunction peripheral, even if the peripheral does not accommodate a removable-medium-compatible drive unit. Thus, the digital multifunction peripheral equipped with a USB interface can easily provide functions of transmitting image data held or formed by the digital multifunction peripheral to an external drive unit or a network to store the data in a removable medium, and receiving, via an external drive unit or a network, image data stored in a removable medium to print out the data, and are therefore higher-value added products for users.
Removable media are highly convenient in use. On the other hand, using the removable media may cause security problems. For example, if a removable medium in which a confidential document is stored is left behind somewhere, information leakage may be caused.
Accordingly, most of the digital multifunction peripherals have a system for controlling access to image data or document data held by the document management function or the like thereof, to thereby prevent leakage of information. However, if the data is taken outside the digital multifunction peripheral with the use of a removable medium, the benefit of the system cannot be realized, and therefore, the problem cannot be solved completely.
The same situation may happen in the case of a paper medium. In the case of a removable medium, however, the problem is more serious because data taken out as digital data can be easily copied, falsified and misappropriated and because it is difficult to find the removable medium being taken out without authorization since it is extremely small-sized in recent years. Under these circumstances, various countermeasures have been devised.
For example, there has been proposed a method in which a user authentication function is provided to thereby permit only an authenticated user to use a removable medium, thus enhancing data security. More specifically, the proposed method is implemented by a computer. At the front face of a computer body, there are multiple file bays which can contain an information recording/reproduction device and to which an openable file bay cover is attached so as to cover the multiple file bays. The file bay cover when closed is locked by an electronic lock unit provided in the computer body and made in contact with a latch that is provided in the file bay cover. The electronic lock unit is electrically connected with the computer body. If a user of the computer is authenticated by password or fingerprint matching and the like, then the electronic lock unit is controlled from the computer body to automatically be unlocked (see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2000-194448, for example).
By attaching a file bay cover to file bays which contain an information recording/reproduction device, so as to be opened and closed by an electronic lock mechanism as described above, it is possible to prevent an unauthorized user, that is, a user who is not authenticated by password or fingerprint matching and the like from maliciously using the information recording/reproduction device, to thereby prevent confidential information stored in the computer from being copied to a removable storage medium and taken out.
With the method described above, however, there is a possibility that a user with a right of access may lose a removable medium in which highly confidential data is stored, and therefore, security cannot sufficiently be protected.
Furthermore, there has also been proposed a method for enhancing the security of data recorded on a removable medium by providing a fingerprint authentication device or a password-based authentication mechanism inside the removable medium (see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2004-110382, for example). Thereby, even when the removable medium is lost, it is not necessary to concern about malicious use of data in the removable medium by a person who picks up the removable medium, and security can be enhanced.
According to this method, however, only a removable medium with a special mechanism can be used, and convenience for users is considerably impaired. Furthermore, in the case of an apparatus other than a common personal computer, such as a digital multifunction peripheral, there is a problem that the system in a removable medium cannot be guaranteed to operate properly. Furthermore, there is a problem that the security improvement effect cannot be achieved, if a user loses or leaves behind the removable medium while the lock with a password is released.
Accordingly, there has recently been proposed a method for preventing a user from forgetting to remove a removable medium, as a basic solution.
For example, in a printing service offered by a digital multifunction peripheral with an accounting system, there has been proposed an image printing apparatus which prevents a user from forgetting to remove a removable medium by performing payment of changes to the user after printing ends and the removable medium is removed (see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2001-331871, for example). It is conceivable that a user generally has a strong awareness of the price. Therefore, by causing the user to remove a removable medium before receiving changes, the risk of forgetting to remove the removable medium can be reduced.
There has been also proposed a digital printing machine having a function of performing control such that the last page is not printed unless a removable medium is removed from a removable medium insertion section (see Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 2004-280417, for example). It is essential here to remove a removable medium in order for a user to obtain a desired printing result, and consequently, this is effective as a method for preventing the user from forgetting to remove the removable medium.
The above proposed techniques make it possible to prevent a user who uses an accounting system or a user who performs printing from forgetting to remove a removable medium. However, this is effective only for users who perform such works. In other situations, for example, in the case where a service person or a device administrator uses a removable medium to perform work in a dedicated mode different from a normal mode, there is a problem that it is not possible to prevent such a person from forgetting to remove the removable medium.
For example, there may be a case where a service person uses a removable medium to update firmware in a service mode which is a dedicated mode or store equipment information typified by counter information, application, license information, customer information and the like in a removable medium to carry it. There may also be a case where a device administrator uses a removable medium to update firmware in an administrator mode which is a dedicated mode. If such a service person or device administrator forgets to remove the removable medium, there is a risk of leakage of important data, which is a serious security problem.